


The Darkest Part of a Flame

by Book_Life_Love



Series: Rebellion [1]
Category: Element benders
Genre: Action, Deception, Mystery, Other, Secrets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-08-30 05:03:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8519554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Book_Life_Love/pseuds/Book_Life_Love
Summary: The people of the five elements; Water, Ice, Earth, Air, and Fire lived peacefully until the trees from the Wood arrived. Or so the Government of Normals says. No one knows for sure.The Elementers aren't supposed to mix with other Elements. This rule worked fine until little Jayce was born. Half Flame and half Ice, she is a combination of the two Element Groups with the most bitter hatred for the other.  Her parents didn't know what to do with her; leave her alone or stay and protect her. Soon, their decision was made for them.Little orphan Jayce is now left to hide in plain sight, but she soon discovers that there is more to the City, and the ever-threatening Wood, than meets the eye.





	1. Prologue

I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted a child with him. I loved him, wanted him even, but I knew that any children we have will only live a life of pain and misery, if they were allowed to live at all. Flame and Ice don't mix; well they shouldn't. I guess it's too late for that now.  
I look into the icy blue eyes of Argus, my forbidden love, my true love. His eyes are a cold blue yet so warm and gentle, welcoming and loving. Yet they are sad because he knows what kind of life our daughter will lead.  
"June, what are we going to do?"  He asks helplessly, almost scared. He is scared for our daughter. Beautiful though she is, her hair and eyes could end her life before she gets a chance at it. Her left eye is ice blue like her fathers but more intense, even as a child. Her other eye is blood red, darker than my eyes but friendly with a spark of mischief glinting in it. Her hair is as blood-red as her eye interrupted by one ice-blue streak on the right side. She can't be discovered.  
"We have to get out of here. It's past time that we joined the others. We've delayed long enough." he pleads desperately. He knows what will happen to us; to our child; to our Family Branch in Town Hall's Flame section. Death. But that is if they are merciful; it is too much to hope for. They will probably question us about our motives; which translates to torturing us until we repent or die. Yes, death would be pleasant.  
"I need one more week. Then we will leave. "  
"Fine. One week but no more." I sigh with relief. I know he is annoyed at risking one more week, but I need that time. I have to figure out how to wipe her memory. If she remembers anything, our names or faces, she could get us, her, and the rest of the rebels killed or captured. I need one more week or we could all die.


	2. Chapter One - Jayce

I'm in a white room. Two people sit in front of me. One with flames for hair. One with flowing ice on his head. My parents. I try to speak but I'm choking on my own tears. I can't see their faces but I can feel their stares. Their names are right on the edge of my tongue but I can't quite remember how to say them. They have been dead for twelve years; my whole life. They can't possibly be sitting in front of me right now.   
"Jayce," I hear them say, "Jayce! Time to get up, your omelettes are getting cold!" The voice changes to May's, my caretaker. I jolt awake and find my pillow soaked in hot tears. Twelve years old and I still cry over my parents. Not because I miss their hugs or their voices, I cry because I never knew them. They died a week after I was born. I never knew them but I cry as if I did.   
I get out of bed and brush my bangs in front of my blue eye and check that my hair dye hadn't been ruined in the night. As I do this, I wonder why I have to hide that my parents weren't both Flames. Why should I hide. Why can't we all just get along? Why do the Earths have to prank the Airs? Why do Flames find it necessary to burn Water houses and melt Ice houses? Do they enjoy having their streets flooded or iced over? Why can't we all just get along? No major damage has ever been done; the Government stops us all fast enough. Everything is fixed and no one dies, but the bitter hatred remains. I think people are too close minded to notice anything but the bad. That's why we live in separate sections of the City.

There is an unspoken law that no one but no one can bunk in another Element section. The Government even made the roads different colours.   
Ices and Flames are especially hostile. None of the Elements are supposed to "mix" per say. Especially Ices and Flames. I guess I am the only exception to that rule.

"Hurry it up, there, Jay! You're gonna be late!" May calls.

Dang it!

"Coming!" I yell back. I'd forgotten I had school today; I was planning on swimming. I pull out the plait I had started and brush it into my bangs. Luckily, the only dress code is hair down, short-sleeves, and jeans you can move in and that won't catch on anything. Basically what I normally wear.

I double check that I look like a Flame with no trace of Ice in her. I head downstairs and grab two omelettes off my plate and start off to the bus stop. They are hot, but that doesn't bother me. I don't feel heat until a much higher temperature than normal people. The wind quickly cools them anyway.   
I get on the bus and wait for my stop, thinking.

Private schools are separated by element and in their own sections of the City. Lucky little me gets to go to a public school. All the elements are mixed for all classes but the specialised classes: Flames take Fire Safety; Ices and Waters take Swimming; Earths take Caving 404; Airs take Meteorology. All the Normals get a free period during that time unless they want to study medicine, politics, or some other Government related job of sorts.

Had I been in a private school, I never would have met Robert and Jaylee, my two best friends; my only friends but whatever. Rob is an Earth, meaning he has deep, dark brown hair. It has to stay within regulation length which means that he gets a buzz-cut once a week. All Earths train to be part of City Security because they are strong, steady-minded, and disciplined. Lee is an Air with grey-silver hair and a slender frame, like most Airs. Airs typically become teachers-because they are very calm unless they have good reason not to be-and meteorologists-they predict the weather correctly 90% of the time. Lee is determined to be an athlete, though. Earth and Airs don't get along well, and, with Earths being the natural athletes, you can see where she will run into a problem...

I'm surprised that Rob and Lee haven't killed each other yet with how much Earth and Airs hate each other. They actually get along  really well. Better than most Elementers of the same element, believe it or not.

Once I get off the bus, I just have to turn the corner and walk up the front steps. I take a moment to compose myself and set up my "barriers." I take a deep breath and walk forward. If I had gone to a private school I wouldn't have to worry about Pat. That's not what happened, though, so I stick it out for another day. I refuse to let them win.

I've always been made fun of because I hide half my face. They always tease me about half my face melting in the fire; it's a huge shame to be a non-fireproof Flame. They say I take after my parents; that I should have burned with them.   
Fat, ugly, stupid, freak. These are as much my nickname as Jay is. Probably more so. Not because they are true but because I can understand complex things more than simple things. Give me AP Honours Advanced Battle Manoeuvres and Calculus any day. I've already passed all of their math and advanced battle courses. I'm just taking some again to help me get through the simple classes I have to take, even though most kids pass their first year. The simple stuff is just too flawed to get me through a battle alive.

I do try to learn the simple stuff, don't gets me wrong, I just can't get over how flawed all the basic tactics are. None of them will be worth  much in a battle. As far as math goes, though, it's just more fun with variables and negatives and square roots and all that good stuff. People accuse me of cheating and make fun of me because I ace the hard things and flunk the easy things. Guess who they come to when they meed help on their homework, though? Me.

My first class is English - my favourite class. The teacher is nice and I love to write. Today is a free day and I use it to finish what I can for next quarter. Mr. Lankash lets me work ahead because I am taking college level English next term and I get bored listening to the same thing for a whole week because other people don't understand it or need more time for the work.

I get halfway through the third quarter's work by the end of class. I make sure I understand the whole project before I leave as it's the last thing on my list and I'd like to get it done. All I have to do is write a book with 15-30 chapters and a three page essay explaining where I got my inspiration, how the story connects to the real world, and why the plot is what it is; easy enough.

My next class is regular gym, my second favourite class. I can easily keep up with the guys - surpass them even - but nothing I do ever counts. I'm failing gym on account of enhancers accusations. I only change in the stall to lessen the risk of people noticing my... abnormalities.

I don't stop the rumours, though, because I can't risk the truth.


	3. Chapter Two - Jayce

After gym is the first half of Advanced Battle Tactics (Av. B. T.). I continue working on my Mini Battle Plan poster. We have a test second half, but Mrs. Milee won't make us study, no matter how much she may advise it.

I'm almost done when the lunch bell rings. I put my project away and head to Mess Hall, as it is commonly know.

The line is out the door when I get there, but it moves quickly until it splits into four lines just inside the door.

As I wait just inside, lo and behold, who should appear but Pat, a High-Branch Flame with a nasty temper. I don't see her entourage but they can't be far behind; she's almost never without them.   
"What's up Scar-face? Get caught in any fires lately?" Pat's voice is so stereotypically posh and sing-songy, i have to smother a laugh.

"Not yet, but it looks like it wont be long." I say with a smile as the line moves forward.   
Her entourage, Suzee and Jane, walk-skip up behind Pat, their crimson hair bouncing. Suzee whispers in her ear and Jane giggles dangerously. Pat's smile goes from deceptively sweet to menacing faster than you can blink and back again. Here it comes...

"How many steroids did you take this time? I hear you beat Jimmy today."  
Jimmy is her boyfriend as well as the strongest and fastest boy in my gym class. Any race between us would be too close to call. The line moves forward again.

"I didn't quite beat him," I reply, "though he did only win by a hair"  
"Well, thats not what I heard. I heard that you were in front of him by half a mile and finished the three mile course in record time." Here we go again...

But first...

"If I ever beat Jimmy in a race, it would be a miracle. Though I could beat him in a fight any day." Hopefully this will make them go away. "Not that I would ever fight him, though. I wouldn't want to make your precious muffin look weak in front of his dear teddybear, would I?" I say the endearments in my most babyish voice, just for emphasis as the line moves forward.

Her face turns as red as a ripe tomato. She gets up in my face so no one can here us but us.

"Listen here you under-grown, ugly little drug addict! You listen here! No one but no one talks to me like that and gets away with it! I can make your pathetic little life a living Hell. You hear me?" Her menacingly sweet smile has an almost comic effect with her tomato-coloured face, "Now, dear, wouldn't you like to rephrase what you just said?"

"I don't believe I do. Should I?" I flash my most innocent looking smile, not bothering to hide the malice and sarcasm in my eyes.

Her face goes from tomato red to a strange purple-ish colour and I barely stifle a laugh.   
"You are going to regret this. I promise you that."

Sometime during our pleasant little chat, the lunchroom had fallen silent. Pat's glare is all it takes to set them talking again.

She whispers to her possé and they look back at me as they walk away and the line moves forward again. I keep my eye on them for the rest of lunch, knowing that Pat will have her revenge.

Maybe they'll dump their food on me when they 'trip'; it's a good thing I never dress up. Or maybe ut will be the classic shove-your-head-into-your-food-when-I-'lose-my-balance.' That one always gets some laughs. Of course it's always possible that she will do the whole 'spill water on you because I didn't see you there.' That one has never happened to me, thankfully;my hair dye is pretty cheap and it washes out without much difficulty...

Lunch goes without a hitch, but I'm not going to let my guard down yet. I'm so that naïve as to think that she's given up already. She could very easily bump into me, fall, and twist her ankle bad enough that she can't walk and get me in trouble.

I go back to Av.B.T. with both eyes open. Nothing. I finish the test and the project. Nada. I help grade the tests as they get turned in. There are fifteen minutes left in class. All the tests are turned in and graded. I pull out a book and lose myself in the heroine's tragic plight. Her lover locked in a tower and she has to save the day. Super cheesy but very well written.

Just before the heroine can vanquish the giant snake that surrounds the tower where her lover is held captive, the bell rings and it's time to go to art; my elective. I had to choose between art and music. It was a no brainer.

Nothing happens in art. I know Pat better than to think she forgot, though.

Specials go by smoothly.

Maybe she got taken home early. I start to relax for the day. And then I see my locker...

I almost react but Pat walks up to her locker, just next to mine. I keep my emotions in check as I walk up and examine my locker. The front is smashed in and the lock is busted beyond repair. I'm scared to open it but I brace myself and open it anyway...

And I suck in my breath when I see what they did.

The inside is covered with insults. Some of them overlapping but most of them were all too clear. I promised never to repeat any of them. Ever.

As I get my books, also covered in these pleasant little bits of slander, I saw some that weren't as bad as the others (Though still awful). They more or less said, 'You half faced FREAK! Go sleep on a fire!' or 'You shouldn't be alive!' and 'You are an emberassment to all Flames!' or 'If you only have half a brain, why are you still here?' and 'No one wants you around!' not to leave out the ever pleasant 'Go die in the Woods!' or 'No one wants to see your face again! Well, what's left of it any way!' give or take a few curse words.

I guess they were in a good mood today, or some of them were at least. I try to forget all of them, but there are worse ones than I'd care to have ever read let alone repeat. The worst ones are the hardest to forget and they won't stop circling in my head. I grab my things, shove them into my bag, and head out to wait on the bus, hoping it won't be long.

The bus finaly arrives and I climb on, go to the back, and bury myself in the book. It helps me keep control just long enough to get home, even forget some of the comments for a while.

I get home, go to my room, sit on the bed, and cry. I can only afford a few minutes of this self-pity, though.

As i start to recover myself, my cell phone rings. It's Jaylee. I take a deep breath and calm myself.

"Hey Lee! What's up?" I try to sound cheerful as I answer, but Lee has known me for too long. I can tell right off that I'm not fooling anyone.

"Hey. I saw what Pat did to your locker and it sounds like it's really gotten to you too. How about we meet at the Hangout and cook a little something up? I'll let Rob know and see if he will come along!"

"Okay," I say skeptically, "but-"

"But nothing. See you soon!"

Typical Lee. What's she up to this time? I think to myself. The only way to find out is to go and hear it from the horse's mouth.

I leave a note for whomever may find it, letting them know that I will Probably be out for a while and will be back for supper tomorrow at the latest. As I write it, I mentally prepare myself for whatever her plan is. I grab an apple and head to the bus stop to wait for the night bus that stays goes super close to the edge of the Woods. Typically Jaylee's plans would get us thrown into Town Hall if we were ever caught. So far we've been lucky and always escaped notice with our little pranks or small robberies.

There is always a first time for everything, though.


	4. Chapter 3 - Jaylee

Let me explain something about the City. Its name is literally City; nothing fancy. You tend not to worry about names when life as you know it depends on keeping the very trees that surround you at bay. The City is possibly the last safe haven in Aerta; maybe even all of Orinzt - but that is a story for another time.

The City is hundreds, if not thousands, of square miles. City has to be this big; it's not excessive, like I know you are thinking. It has six separate sections, it needs the space. Each Element has its own section, thats four and the Normals have their own section, thats five. It has to be like this or there would be no City to stay safe in. That's how bad the hatred is between the Elementers. The Waters and Ices have few discrepancies between them so they share a sector. Flames are on the other side of City so they don't get at each others throats. Earths and Airs aren't so bad but they are still separated by the Flame sector. The Normals are thrown in between the Earth sector. and the Water/Ice area. If the Normals of the Government hadn't decided to plan the City out like this, who knows where we'd be.

Now, the sixth section is the Official section. It has the public schools, the Security Guard Training Grounds. In the very centre of it all are the actual Government buildings.

Each sector is not isolated from the others, but there is an unspoken rule that no one of a different element can enter another Element house or even cross onto roads that aren't their own colour. Even in a dire emergency, other Elementers are only tolerated and they are certainly never brought into homes and fed.

Why the hate-fest? Because Earths love to dig trenches around Air houses and Airs enjoy sending tornados through Earth houses. As for the Water/Ice and Flame part of it, Flames burn Water and Ice houses and Waters and Ices flood and freeze streets. Then there's Ice Cubing; when Waters and Ices soak and freeze a houses frame to the point that it might as well have been made of ice.

Earths can tolerate Airs when needed, but it was a super risky move on the Government's part putting Waters, Ices, and Flames under the same roof. The people up in Government places make sure that Waters and Ices have as little contact with Flames as is humanly possible and fights still break out each week. It's that bad.

That's why Jay has to pretend to be all Flame and not Ice or Water at all. She doesn't know I know, but I saw her bleed once in Beginner Year; she'd scraped her knee. No one else saw and I'm not going to tell anyone. I don't want to lose my best friend to whatever horrors they have in store in the Government buildings. Hearing rumours is bad enough.  
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
As I jog to the Hangout, I reminisce about all of my genius plans over the years. When we robbed Suzee after she took Jay's homework and said she'd incinerate it at home. Then there's the time we freaked Jane out so bad that she went and got a guard dog. And none of us would ever forget the time we spray painted Jane's dog blue! It still hasn't completely come out and that was three months ago!

We've never been caught, never been questioned, never been suspected. I've always had good reasons and I never get caught. My plans are the main reason that Rob and Jay keep fit. If they didn't, we'd all get caught because I'd never leave them to the wolves. Who knows what would happen! I don't even want to know.   
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
When I to the Hangout, I grab a water from the Ice Box and head to the shower I had Rob instal last year when things at home became unbearable. I won't get into that, though.

I wash out the red hair-chalk I used to get into the Flame area (so I didn't have to fly so far). If I hadn't disguised myself, I would have had hundreds of miles to go. Thanks to the Speedrail busses, though, I can ride right to the edge of the City and only have a couple of miles to fly. Jay will be on the bus already and Rob will be putting on his disguise at the border. I only know this because I know how long it should take them. I have about a half hour until one of them shows up. The Hangout has running water, showers, bathrooms, sinks, an Ice Box, and a radio. We all helped build it. Needless to say, there are some interesting stories to go along with it...

Jayce arrives 25 minutes later, begging to know my plan. All I say is that we have to wait for Rob before I divulge my plan.

Twenty minutes later, Rob arrives. I suggest that we eat something before my big reveal, so we throw together a quick rabbit stew and slice up some apples while it cooks on the fire. I insist we eat everything before I say anything, so we make small talk until its all gone.

I take my time with the dishes and insist that Rob and Jay relax while I clean up. I can hear them muttering across the room but can't quite make out what they are saying. Whatever they are discussing, they can't possibly know what I have in mind. It's my craziest plan yet. When I'm done with the dishes, I take my time getting three waters from the Ice Box and slowly work my way over to the chairs we have next to the fire. I sit down, hand out the waters, and take a drink, knowing that they are barely keeping from yelling questions at me. It's so much afun to make them wait.

After a second sip from my water, I finally reveal my plan.

"You're crazy Lee!" Shouts Rob as he stands up and starts pacing, "You really expect us to succeed? This is so much mor-"

"Oh shut up Rob. You don't have to tell us which rules this will break. We both know as well as you do. Jay? What do you think?"

"You're insane Lee. If we get caught, though... Just don't forget the risks."

"So you're in?"

"Of course Lee. I can't let you do this all by yourself. I won't think about what will happen if you do this on your own. You in Rob?"

"I don't know..."

"Come on! For Lee?"

"I'll come along to make sure both of you stay safe."

"Yay!" I squeal and dance over to the cupboard where we keep the paper and pencils. When I turn around, Rob is walking back to his chair with Jay giving him a confused look for whatever reason. I sit down and Jay shakes her head, focusing on the paper I set on the table.

We work out the details, who brings what and where we meet when. All the details except how we get home. We never discus how we will get home in case one of us gets caught. That way we can't say where the other person is going exactly. Besides, we don't know exactly where the others live, though we have been to each others houses.

Any way, Jay is bringing a blanket, Rob is getting us black suits, and me? My job is to bring the gasoline.


End file.
